Veterinary Wellness Blog
Travel, and Fireworks, and Storms, Oh My!
June 4, 2012Summer may mean warmth, sunshine, and spending more time outdoors, but it can also bring more things that can cause anxiety in our pets. Things such as car rides or airplane flights for family vacations, fireworks, or thunderstorms may all cause our pet to become stressed. Signs of anxiety can include: Hiding Drooling Shaking Barking, whining, howling or other vocalizations Licking excessively Urinating or defecating inappropriately Scratching/digging, chewing, or other destructive behavior Pets can pick up on our anxiety as well, so even if you aren’t currently traveling, if you are stressing over travel plans, your pet may be more anxious. Also, pets can sense things such as change in atmospheric pressure and may know a storm is coming long before you do! Lastly, our pet’s sense of hearing is much better than ours, so they may notice fireworks or thunder that we just cannot hear. If your pet has anxiety in any of these situations, we can help. There is a medication we are using in dogs to help with situational anxiety. Also, if your pet is an overall anxious animal, there are medications we can use on a daily basis to help alleviate their anxiety. Calls us today to set up an appointment to discuss if this is right for your pet […]
Read PostHot weather, hay fever, hot spots….
May 21, 2012Ah-choo! Yup, you guessed it, allergy season is here again. Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system. Immune cells release histamines, which can cause inflammation in the body, usually in the skin, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, or respiratory tract. This leads to secondary issues such as ear infections, skin infections, fungal (yeast) and bacterial infections, pyoderma, hot spots, anal gland issues, sneezing, runny eyes, breathing issues, or vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases hives or even anaphylactic shock can occur. Signs of allergies can include: Asthma problems Runny eyes or nose and sneezing Itching and scratching Licking and chewing, especially of feet, flanks, or tail areas Redness of skin Ear infections-odor, discharge, or redness in ears Skin infections which may present as open sores, pimples, red bumps, dry skin, scabs, and crusts Pets can be allergic to a number of things, which usually fall into the categories of fleas, environment, and food. Examples of environmental allergens can include pollens, dust mites, and molds, and examples of food allergens can include meat, grains, and dairy ingredients. There are many things we can do to help you and your pet manage their allergies including: Treat for fleas-even if not seen, they may be contributing to the problem A food elimination trial-feeding a special diet with […]
Read PostFamily vacations-to take the pet or not?
May 7, 2012No question, pets are part of the family nowadays. However, this does not always mean they should do everything the family does. A common question we get asked during the summer months is whether or not to take the pet with during travel. There is no overall best answer for this, but there are a couple of things that we ask to help us determine what will be best for your pet. Does your pet travel well-car rides, carrier, planes, or are they vocal, vomiting, drooling, and stressed during transport? There are medications to help with anxiety, so this in and of itself does not preclude them from travelling, but it is one point to consider. What are you doing during your vacation-staying at the cabin or with relatives or going to a destination where you plan on many excursions during the day? If you are planning a destination where you expect to be out of your lodgings for most of the day seeing local attractions, what will your pet be doing during that time? And probably most importantly-does your hotel/cruise/airline/relatives etc. allow pets? If you feel that you are going on a pet friendly vacation and wish to bring Fido or Fluffy with, we are there to help. We can get you […]
Read PostProviding the best possible veterinary care for your pet.
Heritage Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinarian clinic that provides examinations, diagnostic services, dental care, surgical services, medicine, grooming and boarding services in Maple Grove, Minnesota. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of pet care possible and facilitating an environment where client communication and education are at the forefront of our practice.
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